Moovit: Crowdsourcing Public Transit Data for Better Bus Rides

Public transit systems are getting smarter in many cities—it's not uncommon to see electronic displays that tell you when the next bus or train will arrive. But those systems aren't everywhere yet, and can't give you more specific details, like how crowded a particular bus might be. They also aren't always necessarily accurate. Another solution? An app called Moovit that pulls info from fellow public transit users for real-time data.

Say you're waiting at a bus stop in New York, where electronic notifications have yet to arrive, and the bus is running late. As you start to question whether you should walk instead, or find some other route to your destination, you can pull out your phone and learn exactly when the bus is coming. The app tracks the location of other people currently on the bus and calculates its arrival. Similarly, you can see how full the bus is. You can even check on the locations of friends who are traveling to meet you. The only drawback: the app will only work if people participate.